Is live music on the way out?

[klokker]

What's been buttering our bread the last two summers are small town street dances.

We're a "classic rock" band (pre-1980) with a few exceptions and are regulars at a couple of bars. It's what they want and it goes over pretty well most of the time.

But street dances are the best crowds and country and new country rules. They want a BAND, not a DJ. A DJ would fail. It's the whole "community/people" thing. Last weekend we had a hundred people line dancing half the night in a horse arena and many more people hanging around. Some sort of fundraiser for a kid's horseback riding association. They usually pay better, and we can bring in an acoustic guitar player and have a 5 piece band.

These community events are huge, and they want live music. Again, a DJ would be a FLOP.

 

[jaywa]

The iPod has given folks an easy way to avoid exposure to anything except their favorite sub-sub-genre. So I say we blame the iPod for the present narrowness of folk's tastes .

You know what's funny about that is, my smartphone (and Pandora app) did the exact opposite for me. It BROADENED my tastes and introduced me to a whole bunch of bands, some of which (e.g., Jellyfish) have replaced bands I listened to for decades as my "favorites".

 

[jaywa]

We're a "classic rock" band (pre-1980) with a few exceptions and are regulars at a couple of bars. It's what they want and it goes over pretty well most of the time.

But street dances are the best crowds and country and new country rules. They want a BAND, not a DJ. A DJ would fail. It's the whole "community/people" thing. Last weekend we had a hundred people line dancing half the night in a horse arena and many more people hanging around. Some sort of fundraiser for a kid's horseback riding association. They usually pay better, and we can bring in an acoustic guitar player and have a 5 piece band.

These community events are huge, and they want live music. Again, a DJ would be a FLOP.

Hey... about that gig... how did that Save A Horse Ride a Cowboy Song work out for you?

 

[klokker]

Hey... about that gig... how did that Save A Horse Ride a Cowboy Song work out for you?

Meh. It worked great. Meh. Sometimes you just have to humble yourself. We played "Red Solo Cup" by Toby Keith too. After we played it, someone brought their 6 year old kid up on stage and we played while he sang it. Had the whole thing memorized. People loved it. Good Gawd!

 

[RoadRanger]

You know what's funny about that is, my smartphone (and Pandora app) did the exact opposite for me. It BROADENED my tastes and introduced me to a whole bunch of bands, some of which (e.g., Jellyfish) have replaced bands I listened to for decades as my "favorites".

Pandora is definitely good for that as are many online radio stations. I own a couple few MP3 players that I only use to learn sounds off of or for break music at gigs. My favorite station to listen to was on Sirius called "Sirius Disorder" which was kindof a "Super Shuffle" with a DJ. They did a great job of sliding between wildly differing genres without it sounding random .

 

[jaywa]

Meh. It worked great. Meh. Sometimes you just have to humble yourself. We played "Red Solo Cup" by Toby Keith too. After we played it, someone brought their 6 year old kid up on stage and we played while he sang it. Had the whole thing memorized. People loved it. Good Gawd!

We do Red Solo Cup too. Now there's a boring-azz song.

Not sure how I'd feel about a 6 year old singing it. Probably the same way I feel about my 2nd grade granddaughter singing "Call Me Maybe". In perfect pitch... but still...

 

[claytitan]

You know what's funny about that is, my smartphone (and Pandora app) did the exact opposite for me. It BROADENED my tastes and introduced me to a whole bunch of bands, some of which (e.g., Jellyfish) have replaced bands I listened to for decades as my "favorites".

I agree with this 110%. My Iphone has a huge variety of music on it. I like old and new, country, rock, punk, funk, dance, etc. etc. Before you could buy singles cheap I would buy a whole album and my collection was much more limited. Now if I hear a song by an up and comer I can go get that song. Inexpensively and quickly.

I suspect there are areas that are hard up but not around here. Plenty of places to play if you have a good band and a good set list. You can't play a bunch of songs no one has heard of. You can't play a full set of hard rock to a bar that is looking for country twang. You need to be flexible.

 

[xgator4u]

Live cover music is thriving here in Houston but it seems that most of the audiences are in the 30-50 year age bracket.

I can think of a few reasons why:

1. Live music is overexposed and is no longer a novelty. Think of how many 'American Idol' or other 'Who wants to be a Rockstar' shows are on TV now. Think of how many bands play their concerts on TV. 20 years ago you'd never get to see a band performing their entire set on TV.

2. The music industry is in the can right now and probably will be for a long time. Labels can't sell records anymore and aren't willing to invest 100's of thousands of dollars to record an entire album. Why? Because people will just download the song for free or will download the 1 song that they like from iTunes [for $1.99]. So, the live music you hear is old material. Something actually worth listening to in most cases.

3. Economy. Younger people don't have money. Older people do. Older people don't want to hear 'One Direction'. They want the stuff they listened to when they were young.

4. For the younger folks going to see a band is no big deal because everyone they know is in a band or plays an instrument. Gone are the days of saving up all summer to buy a guitar. Mom and Dad have already bought their kids anything they want.

5. Younger people have more entertainment options than they did in the past.

THIS is chock full of truth.
"Is live music on it's way out ?"
Well "LIVE" living sure is. Virtual living is the FAD these days.

 

[jive1]

You know what's funny about that is, my smartphone (and Pandora app) did the exact opposite for me. It BROADENED my tastes and introduced me to a whole bunch of bands, some of which (e.g., Jellyfish) have replaced bands I listened to for decades as my "favorites".

In general, I think people's tastes have broadened. Back when we had to either buy or dub music, it wasn't common for someone to have 100 albums, let alone 1000. It's not like back in the day when you had to get a deal with Columbia records to get 12 albums for a penny. Now, everyone has access to lots of music.

I also think the lines have disappeared somewhat. New Country doesn't carry the rep it used to in that it's less likely nowadays that someone will think you're a redneck for listening to Country. Hip-Hop style beats are more common in all styles of music. Old guys in their 50s are playing Metal and Punk. Kids in their teens know all the words to Bon Jovi and Journey songs. And the list goes on and on.

 

[DwaynieAD]

my area has a lot of places for live music, covers and originals. and not all of them are pay to play or pre sale ticket places.

 

[BogeyBass]

No live music is not dead.

Its really simple, clubs sell alcohol for profit, the only reason people wanna stand around and drink alcohol is to have fun or get laid.

The older crowd is no longer interested in standing around and getting drunk and trying to get laid.

The younger crowd is more than willing to stand around and get drunk and try to get laid.

So you must play music and hold a image that the young crowd actually cares to listen too, then you get attendance.
Otherwise the older crowd will still consume alcohol if they are 1) eating dinner 2) gambling for money. So then your venue will have a slight shift. otherwise same thing, image and talent plays a big role because there is plenty standing in line to play.

Also the clock dont stop ticking so "classic rock" is now from the 90's. If the clock never stoped ticking then we would have clubs full of big band jazz acts, and the "kids" would swing all night. but guess what, that died out a long time ago.

 

[Richland123]

We do Red Solo Cup too. Now there's a boring-azz song.

That is one of the worst, mind-numbing, awful songs ever along with anything else Toby does. When a lousy song like that becomes a big hit and songs that are really good don't, that pretty sums up the new music scene.

 

[aborgman]

In general, I think people's tastes have broadened. Back when we had to either buy or dub music, it wasn't common for someone to have 100 albums, let alone 1000. It's not like back in the day when you had to get a deal with Columbia records to get 12 albums for a penny. Now, everyone has access to lots of music.

There is more access than ever, but I think people are LESS likely to explore unrelated genres than in the past.

Just take a look at some 1970s FM playlists and see how genre crossing they were... folks were to some extent forced to listen to music outside their preferred genre.

 

[Eric1668]

That is one of the worst, mind-numbing, awful songs ever along with anything else Toby does. When a lousy song like that becomes a big hit and songs that are really good don't, that pretty sums up the new music scene.

+1000000

 

[tonylevinkix]

In answer to one of my original questions, I've found a site OnlineBand where musicians, from all over the world, toss ideas out there for collaboration and comment, pretty interesting. I just signed up and downloaded so music to play around with and then send back to the writers.

 

[klokker]

That is one of the worst, mind-numbing, awful songs ever along with anything else Toby does. When a lousy song like that becomes a big hit and songs that are really good don't, that pretty sums up the new music scene.

I couldn't agree more, but you have to put the thing in context. If you played 10 songs like that in a row people would start leaving I bet. It's a moment of crap surrounded by stuff that isn't as bad.

It's fertilizer. Helps things grow, but by itself pretty much stinks.

 

[jaywa]

It's fertilizer. Helps things grow, but by itself pretty much stinks.

Great analogy. Definitely no fan of Red Solo Cup here, but it has turned around a few gigs of ours that were pretty much going nowhere up to that point.

 

[the Arsonaut]

damn kids these days...

People have been saying "live music is dead" for ages, I've got articles from the 80s about it...
The real problem is, outside of meccas like NYC, they're not making new clubs.

The old ones close, and a neighborhood committee, or zoning board ensures that the club space becomes two retail stores
"excuse me, what happened to the Inferno club?..they used to have bitchin' metal.."
"oh, haven't you heard? They put a starbucks & dunkin donuts in there..it's soo convenient"
We've watched nightclubs in the NorthEast flipflop for 30 years between DJ and cover band. Then it closes, and becomes an asian fusion restaurant.
And original music venues? You can keep the bathrooms clean, the riffraff out, and hand out orchids to all the ladies...but you might as well just tell the authorities now that you're selling a new drug out the back that may or may not be legal in this country.
It's a real fight to keep the doors open, anytime. The economy, overall, is not really helping...
The NIMBY thing is getting really really really really really really really old. Really.
Don't believe me? Well, just go to CBGBs, then.

 

[Factor88]

damn kids these days...

People have been saying "live music is dead" for ages, I've got articles from the 80s about it...
The real problem is, outside of meccas like NYC, they're not making new clubs.

The old ones close, and a neighborhood committee, or zoning board ensures that the club space becomes two retail stores
"excuse me, what happened to the Inferno club?..they used to have bitchin' metal.."
"oh, haven't you heard? They put a starbucks & dunkin donuts in there..it's soo convenient"
We've watched nightclubs in the NorthEast flipflop for 30 years between DJ and cover band. Then it closes, and becomes an asian fusion restaurant.
And original music venues? You can keep the bathrooms clean, the riffraff out, and hand out orchids to all the ladies...but you might as well just tell the authorities now that you're selling a new drug out the back that may or may not be legal in this country.
It's a real fight to keep the doors open, anytime. The economy, overall, is not really helping...
The NIMBY thing is getting really really really really really really really old. Really.
Don't believe me? Well, just go to CBGBs, then.

So you are saying the death of live music (if it is indeed happening) is in part due to stuffy button down establishment types trying to rid their communities of the danger of live music venues?

I can't agree, at least in America. The beauty of this country is if you can make $, it will happen. The starbucks and the DD replaced the nightclub not because some WASP city commision forced them out, but simple economics drove the nightclub owner out.............

 

[Factor88]

But street dances are the best crowds and country and new country rules. They want a BAND, not a DJ. A DJ would fail. It's the whole "community/people" thing. Last weekend we had a hundred people line dancing half the night in a horse arena and many more people hanging around. Some sort of fundraiser for a kid's horseback riding association. They usually pay better, and we can bring in an acoustic guitar player and have a 5 piece band.

Is this not a limited niche? I mean are these street dances and community events happening on a Tuesday night in February? There are only so many weekends in the summer......................

I would say the contraction of live music is evident from the fact that 25 years ago you could find a bar within easy drive, on a Monday or a Tuesday, in the dead of winter, in most metro areas, that had a good live band. Now?......

For really good bands, who "get it", are willing to travel a bit, and who are willing and able to exploit certain niche markets, propects are good and will probably continue to be good for decades to come. But that does not mean that live music isn't dying.